PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : La Habra Beats El Toro, Meets Kennedy in Final

If La Habra is to match last year’s success, reaching the 4-A Southern Section semifinals, it must continue to win as it did Tuesday.

The Highlanders must win even when they are uninspired.

La Habra scored twice without a hit in the fifth inning, then held off El Toro with some spectacular defense in the bottom of the inning for a 2-0 victory in the semifinals of the Woodbridge Warrior Classic at Harvard Park.

La Habra (12-2), ranked fifth in Orange County, plays No. 4 Kennedy (13-2) at 5 p.m. today in the championship game. No. 10 El Toro (12-5) plays Cerritos at 3 p.m.

The Highlanders won because they got clutch pitching from a tired Dani Ortega (12-2), pitching her fourth game in five days, and they got spectacular defense from shortstop Aimee Weathers.

El Toro, missing three starters--and maybe four by season’s end--had runners reach third base three times, but each time Ortega struck out the next batter to end the threat. She surrendered six hits and struck out 10.

Ortega needed help in the bottom of the fifth. Protecting a 2-0 lead, El Toro got bunt singles from Jodi Smith and Jennifer Hamer. With one out and third baseman Meagan Mirth playing in, Dana Gulick slapped a line drive past Mirth that seemed destined to be a double. Instead, Weathers caught the ball in stride and stepped on third base for the force.

“It was the best defensive play I’ve made this year,” Weathers said. “I wasn’t sure I had it or not.”

On the next pitch, catcher Stefanie Bakke threw out Hamer, who was trying to steal third. Weathers, who was covering on the play, made the tag.

La Habra, which had only two hits off Smith (6-3), scored in the top of the fifth inning on an error, a hit batsman, and a two-out error on a ball hit by Weathers.

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In the other semifinal:

Kennedy 1, Cerritos 0--Sophomore Lisa Pitt (7-1) faced only one batter over the minimum, striking out four and allowing one hit.

Pitt allowed only two runners. She walked Kristi Krebs to open the fifth, but catcher Joy Hannifan picked off a pinch-runner on the first pitch. Pitt lost the no-hitter in the seventh when Karen Hoshizaki lined the ball head-high off Pitt’s glove.

Pitt also played a role in Kennedy’s first-inning run. Laurie Fritz got the first of her two hits, a one-out single. She took second on Nicole Paloney’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on Pitt’s grounder to shortstop when the first baseman dropped the throw for an error. Fritz was running on the play and never slowed while rounding third.

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In consolation games:

Foothill 1, Garden Grove 0--Amy Tessman pitched a no-hitter for the Knights, who will face Fullerton in the consolation final at 3 p.m.

Fullerton 3, Lakewood 1--Angie Fancuberta pitched a four-hitter to win her ninth game for Fullerton.

Woodbridge 6, Laguna Hills 0--Keri Byrd had two doubles and three RBIs and Allison Johnsen stole her 26th base for the Warriors (12-5). Corey Washington pitched a three-hitter for Woodbridge, which will face Upland in the fifth-place game at 3 p.m.

Upland 3, Mission Viejo 0--Kelly Farnsworth pitched a four-hitter for Upland. Pitcher Kim Laakso (1-3) allowed only one hit for Mission Viejo.

Bellflower 1, Trabuco Hills 0--Shelby Maxwell pitched a four-hitter for Bellflower and Trabuco Hills pitcher April Kargel allowed only one hit.